RON WILLIAMS meets HARRY BELAFONTE
"To my Black role models belong people who, with their voices, their courage, their stance or their life's work, helped an entire country to question deeply entrenched racist prejudices, even to shed them. One of them, a true giant, is HARRY BELAFONTE. Born as Harold George Bellanfanti Jr. in 1927 in the Black district of Harlem, New York City, he became one of the significant Black personalities of the 20th century. His father was from Martinique, his mother was half Jamaican, half British. Most people know him as one of the greatest and most beloved entertainers in America. With hits like "Banana Boat Song" with the iconic chant "Day-O!" or "Island in the Sun," "Jamaica Farewell," "Matilda," "Mama Look at Boo Boo," and "Angelina," just to name a few, he introduced the world to Caribbean Calypso music and captured an international audience. His LP "Calypso" in 1956 is the first album by a solo artist to sell over a million copies. In the 50s and 60s, he became the first international Black film and stage star on all five continents. But he was much more than all of that. Throughout his life, he steadfastly followed his maxim: "Hate and violence must be confronted with heart and mind. It is not enough to be a good entertainer, and it is also not enough to continuously show people what life is like. We artists have the responsibility to tell people how life should be: self-determined and free." When in 1956 he was summoned by the infamous Republican Senator Joseph McCarthy, known for his racist and fascist ideas, to his US Senate committee, where he was accused of being a prominent civil rights activist, communist, and an enemy of America, he replied: "I will give you the following answer, Sir, I have sympathies for all those who are dedicated to the liberation of oppressed people. Whoever commits to this cause - count me in! So, if that is what you are accusing me of, then I am guilty!" He was dismissed as an "uncooperative witness." Belafonte also played a crucial role in the development and rise of the young civil rights icon Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. As a friend, he took on the role of King's "pilot," paving his way through his many political connections and friends in show business who provided him with financial and moral support. I was fortunate, thanks to the Munich theater producer Margrit Kempf, to portray his life and music in the lead role in the theater piece THE HARRY BELAFONTE STORY in five successful theater tours in Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. My personal connection to Belafonte began in the late 50s and early 60s. I had seen the films "CARMEN JONES" and "PORGY AND BESS" and was thrilled. My dad was a classical singer and vocal coach. When I found out from him that he had worked as a vocal coach with Belafonte in his studio at the then Carnegie Hall in New York, my interest grew even larger. And when I had the opportunity to personally meet Belafonte in the 90s, I could tell him about this. He remembered my dad well. In December 2013, I was in New York for stage rehearsals for a Germany tour of the QUEEN ESTHER MARROW GOSPEL SHOW. Thanks to Queen Esther Marrow, I could briefly visit him in his office. She, like some others, had started her career as a young singer thanks to Harry Belafonte. She told me some stories from that time with him during our joint stage tour. Harry Belafonte and I – we have something in common - Caribbean roots. My biological father is from Montego Bay, Jamaica; that connects us. The fascination for his work and music – naturally." -Ron Williams"
Hallo, ich bin Maya.
